The Uttar Pradesh-based franchise was established by the RPSG Group in August 2021 and made its IPL debut in 2022. KL Rahul served as the team's first captain, with Gautam Gambhir as the mentor. The 2025 season will mark the franchise's fourth IPL campaign, having reached the playoffs in its first two seasons before finishing in the bottom half in 2024.
Over their Four years journey KL Rahul has captained the side for 37 games before leaving the franchise for 2025 season.
Auction overview of LSG:
Retentions:
LSG retained as many as five players ahead of the mega auction. With four Indians and one overseas player, they aimed to rebuild their core bowling unit for the season. Key bowlers like leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi (₹11 crore), Mohsin Khan (₹4 crore), and Mayank Yadav (₹11 crore) were central to their strategy. Additionally, young and talented batsman Ayush Badoni was retained in the uncapped category for ₹4 crore. However, the most surprising retention saw LSG breaking the bank for West Indies power-hitter Nicholas Pooran at ₹21 crore.
Note: Mohsin Khan has been replaced by Shardul Thakur in IPL 2025.
Buys from the Auction:
LSG's retention strategy clearly signaled their focus on building a strong batting unit while also securing a captaincy option. They shattered the all-time record by acquiring Indian superstar Rishabh Pant for a staggering ₹27 crore, securing not only a captain and wicketkeeper but also a dynamic batsman.
In the Indian circuit, they primarily targeted uncapped players, including wicketkeeper Aryan Juyal (₹30 lakh), Abdul Samad (₹4.2 crore), and Himmat Singh for the batting department. Following the approach of nurturing talent, LSG focused on acquiring uncapped all-rounders and bowlers, along with experienced international players.
Apart from Nicholas Pooran, they added five overseas players with proven performances, including Aiden Markram (₹2 crore), Mitchell Marsh (₹3.4 crore), finishing specialist David Miller (₹7.5 crore), Matthew Breetzke (₹75 lakh), and used their only RTM (Right to Match) card to retain Shamar Joseph for ₹75 lakh.
Already equipped with quality Indian bowlers, LSG strengthened their arsenal by focusing on young Indian talent. They secured Arshin Kulkarni (₹30 lakh), Rajvardhan Hangargekar (₹30 lakh), and Indian pacer Akash Deep, who previously played for RCB, for ₹8 crore. Additionally, they added emerging talents like Prince Yadav, Himmat Singh, and Digvesh Singh at their base price of ₹30 lakh. In the spin department, they brought in M Siddharth for ₹75 lakh and Shahbaz Ahmed for ₹2.4 crore.
Preview and Prediction After Auction:
The squad appears to be one of the most balanced heading into the season. However, before the tournament begins, their bowling unit suffered a setback with Mayank Yadav set to miss the first half of the season. Avesh Khan will be expected to step up and fill the gap. As in previous seasons, Ravi Bishnoi will once again lead the spin attack, while Ayush Badoni and David Miller will continue to anchor the middle order.
Probable Playing 11:
Aiden Markram
Mitchell Marsh
Rishabh Pant (C &WK)
Ayush Badoni
Nicholas Pooran
David Miller
Abdul Samad
Ravi Bishnoi
Akash Deep
Shamar Joseph
Mohsin Khan
Impact Subs-Shahbaz Ahmed, M Siddharth
